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E 202 
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.fll3 
1899 
Copy 1 



National Society 

OF THE 

Daughters of the American Revolution, 



The Committee on By-Laws of the National Society of the 
Daughters of the American Revolution has the honor to report 
that, in accordance with the order of the last meeting of the 
Continental Congress, it submits herewith to the next annual 
meeting the amendments wliich are necessary to shape the By- 
Laws in accordance with the Constitution and the usages of the 
Society. Certain points heretofore governed by unwritten law, 
or bv the votes of the Continental Congress or the National 
Board of Management, but whicii properly belong in the By- 
Laws, have been inserted in the proposed amendments ; while 
such existing portions as more properly belong among Rules of 
the National Board foi' its own guidance have been omitted. 

The provisions for amendments to the By-Laws are necessarily 
new, and have been given most careful thought by your Com- 
mittee. ■ 

Respectfully sulniiitted. 

Anita Newcomb McGee, 

Chairman. 

Eliza S. Washington Hunter. 

Katharine Lincoln Alden. 

Ellen Haudin Walworth. 

Mary H. L. Shields. 



X 



AMENDMENTS TO THE BY-LAWS 

OFFERED AT THE CONTINENTAL CONGRESS OF 189S, AND TO 
BE ACTED UPON AT THE CONTINENTAL CONGRESS OF 1S99. 



AMENDMENT i. 






Strike out contents of Article I. and substitute the follovvins^ : 

AltTICLE I. 

Election of National Officers. 

Section i. The President General shall appoint a Chief 
Teller on the first day of the Annual Meetings of the Continental 
Congress, and each State delegation may appoint two assistant 
tellers. Nominations shall be made from the floor, and elections 
shall follow immediately — {or "on the succeeding day"). A 
blanket ballot shall be used. The tellers shall hold a list of ac- 
credited voters, and each voter shall announce her name when 
depositing her ballot. The tellers shall make a separate report 
for each office, stating the total number of votes cast; from this 
total the number of blanks shall be deducted, and a majority of 
the remainder shall be the number necessary to elect. The re- 
port shall state tlie number of votes cast for each nominee. 

Sec. 3. Honorary Officers of the National Society shall be 
elected for life, and in the same manner as National Officers. 

AMENDMENT 2. 
Strike out Article II. 

AMENDMENT 3. 
Strike out Art. Ill, Sec. i, and substitute : 

Article II. 

President General. 

Section 1. The President General shall oversee the atlairs of 
the National Society. 

Sec. 2. She shall be the presiding officer of the Continental 
Congress, but, if present, she may call any member of tiie body 
to represent her in tiie ciiair during the current session. She is. 
ex officio., Chairman of the National Board of Management and 



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of tlie Executive Committee, and a member of every other com- 
mittee. 

Sec. 3. She shall appoint the members of the standing com- 
mittees v^'ithin one month after the annual meeting; she shall 
also appoint members of special committees v\'hen requested to 
do so by the Continental Congress or the National Board. 

AMENDMENT 4. 
Strike out Art. IV, Sec. 3, and substitute the following: 

Article III. 
Vice-President General iii Charge of Organization of Chap- 
ters. 

Section i. The Vice-President General in Charge of Organ- 
ization of Chapters shall, in connection with the respective State 
Regents, supervise the organization of Chapters, and shall, after 
approval bv the National Board, grant applications for the form- 
ing of Chapters. 

Sec. 2. She shall sign Commissions of National Officers and 
shall sign and issue Charters and Commissions of State and 
Ciiapter Regents. 

Sec. 3. She shall have authority to nominate a State Regent 
for any State having no Chapters, said Regent to be elected by 
the National Board and to serve until the close of the next annual 
meeting of the Continental Congress. 

Sec. 4. She may appoint Chapter Regents for the term of two 
years in anv .State having no State Regent. She shall perform 
the functions of .State Regent for Chapters in foreign countries. 

Sec. 5. She shall submit reports to the National Board of 
Management and to the Continental Congress. 

AMENDMENT 5. 

Strike out Art. IV, Sees, i and 3, and substitute the follow- 
ing : 

Article IV. 

Vice-Presidents General. 
Section 1. In the absence of tlie President General from any 
session of the Continental Congress or the National Boai-d of 



Management, one of the Vice-Presidents General shall be elected 
to preside, pending the arrival of the President General, or until 
close of the current session. 

Sec. 3. In case of prolonged absence or inability to act of the 
President General, the executive authority shall be vested in a 
Vice-President General, to be elected by ballot by the National 
Board for that purpose. 

AMENDMENT 6. 

Strike out Art. V, Sec. i, anil substitute the following: 
Article V. 
Recording Secretary General. 

Section i. The Recording Secretary General shall give notice 
of meetings of the Continental Congress, The National Board of 
Management, and the Executive Committee, and shall keep com- 
plete records of these meetings. .She shall notify officers and 
Chapters of votes, orders, and proceedings affecting their duties. 

Sec. 2. She shall sign Cliarters and Certificates of Member- 
ship and application papers that have been approved by the 
National Board, and shall notify applicants of their election. 

.Sec. 3. She shall issue a commission to each National Officer 
immediatelv after the adjournment of tlie meeting of the Conti- 
nental Congress at which she was elected. 

vSec. 4. She shall prepare and sign the minutes of the National 
Board of Management, and shall, after approval, publish them in 
the American Monthly Magazine. 

Sec. 5. She shall have the custody of tiie Seal and all tlie prop- 
erty of the National Society not in the immediate charge of other 
officers. 

Sec. 6. She shall submit reports to the National Board and 
the Continental Congress. 

AMENDMENT 7. 

Strike out Art. V, Sec. 2, and substitute the following: 

Article VI. 

Corresfonding Secretary General. 

Section i. The Corresponding Secretary General shall attend 

to the correspondence of the National Society and the National 



Board of Management, and sliall place on file and preserve in the 
office of the National Society copies of all official letters written 
by her, and all letters received in answer thereto. 

Sec. 3. She shall keep on ille a sample copy of all printed 
matter issued by the National Society. She shall distribute all 
pamphlets, circulars, and supplies which are issued gratuitously, 
as directed by the National Board. 

Sec. 3. She shall submit reports to the National Board and the 
Continental Congress. 

AMENDMENT S. 
Strike out Article VII and substitute the following: 
Article VII. 
Registrar General. 

Section i. The Registrar General shall receive all Applica- 
tions for Membership in the National Society; shall examine all 
Application Papers, appiove and sign the same if the applicant 
is found eligible, and shall nominate eligible candidates to the 
National Board for election. She shall report, monthly, all the 
applications received and the disposition made thereof. 

Sec. 2. She shall have the custody of application papers, and 
of the card catalogues of members and ancestors. 

Sec. 3. She shall sign and issue Certificates of Membership 
and Permits for the Badge of the National Society. 

Sec. 4. She shall enter in a Record Book receipt of all appli- 
cations for membership, and the disposition made thereof. Du 
plicate application papers of Chapter members shall be returned 
to the Chapter Registrar ; duplicate papers of members at large 
shall be returned to them. 

Sec. 5. She shall notify State Regents of all applications of 
members at large living in their respective States before such ap- 
plications are acted upon. 

Sec. 6. She shall submit reports to the National Board and the 
Continental Congress. 

AMENDMENT 9. 
Strike out Article VI and substitute the following-: 



Article VIII. 
Treasurer General. 

Section i . The Treasurer General shall receive from Chapter 
Treasurers and members at large all fees and dues payable to 
the National Society and shall acknowledge the same. 

Sec. 2. She shall have charge of the funds and securities of the 
National Society, and sliall deposit the same in such banking in- 
stitution in the city of Washington as the National Board of 
Management shall select, to the credit of the National Society 
of the Daughters of the American Revolution, and draw thereon, 
by check, when so directed by the Continental Congress or the 
National Board. She shall pay all bills that have been counter- 
signed by the officer selected for the purpose by the National 
Board, and also all that tlie National Board shall specifically 
authorize. 

Sec. 3. She shall submit reports to the National Board and to 
the Continental Congress, all of which shall be published in the 
American Monthly Magazine. At least once a year, her reports 
and accounts shall be submitted to an auditor selected by the 
National Board. 

Sec. 4. She shall give bond for the faithful discharge of her 
duties. 

AMENDMENT to. 

Strike out Article VIII and substitute the following : 

Article I.\'. 

Historian General. 

Section i. The Historian General shall have charge of the 

preparation and publication of the Lineage Book. This book 

shall contain sketches of the revolutionary ancestors of members, 

with their descent therefrom. 

Sec. 2. She shall submit reports to tlie National Board of 
Management and the Continental Congress. 



AMENDMENT 11. 

Number the present Article IX as Article X, and strike out 
Article X. 



AMENDMENT 12. 

Insert as Article XI : 

Librarian General. 

Section i. The Librarian General shall have the custody of 
the library of the National Society, and make all possible eflbrt 
to enlarge the collection of books and papers on American His- 
tory. She shall keep the library catalogued and conveniently 
arranged. 

Sec. 2. She shall submit reports to the National Boartl and 
the Continental Congress. 

AMENDMENT 13. 

Strike out Article IV, Sections 4, 6, and 7, and insert the fol- 
lowing : 

Article XII. 

State Regents. 

Section i . State Regents and Honorary State Regents must 
be residents of the States which they are elected or appointed to 
represent. The election of a State Regent is not complete until 
announced at the annual meeting, but she may be selected at any 
place or time after February ist of each year, provided that all 
delegates from her State have been duly notified in advance of the 
meeting. In case vacancy arises in the office of State Regent in 
the interval between the meetings of the Congress, it shall be 
filled by the National Board of Management by the election of 
the candidate nominated by the majority of the Chapter Regents 
in the State. 

Sec. 3. Honorary State Regents, not to exceed three, may be 
elected for each State and Territory in the manner prescribed for 
State Regents. State Regents are elected for one year and 
Honorary State Regents are elected for life. 

Sec. 3. Each State Regent shall have charge of the active 
work of organization within her State, subject to the general 
supervision of the Vice-President General in charge of Organi- 
zation of Chapters, and shall have power, subject to the ap.proval 
of the National Board of Management, to appoint Regents for 
organizing Chapters, the term of whose office shall be two years. 



8 

Sec. 4. She shall sign Charters issued to the Chapters in iier 
State, and shall keep a systematic record of Chapter work, said 
record to be turneil over to her successor at the expiration of her 
term of ofHce. She shall prepare an annual report, and transmit 
it to the Recording Secretary General, to be printed witli tlie 
Proceedings of the Continental Congress. 



AMENDMENT 14. 

Insert the following : 

Article XIII. 
Standing Committees. 

Section i. The Standing Committees of the Continental Con- 
gress shall be those whose duties are defined in this article. 
They shall submit written reports to the Continental Congress 
annually, and may also report to the National Board. Standing 
Committees of the National Board may be created by that body 
for the transaction of its business. Membership in standing 
committees lapses at the close of eacii annual meeting. No 
circular relating to the National Society may be issued by 
committees or by anv officer or member of the Society unless au- 
thorized by the National Board. 

Sec. 3. The Amendment Committee shall receive, arrange, 
have printed and issue amendments to the Constitution and By- 
Laws. If any amendment, as proposed, or after being amended 
by tiie Congress, is technically incorrect or faulty in expression, 
it shall be the duty of this committee to report that fact at the 
same meeting of the Congress at which such amendment is acted 
upon. But the recommendations of the committee shall not in- 
ckule changes in the intent of amendments, unless specitically 
authorized. 

Sec. 3. The Continental Hall Committee shall promote and 
prepare for the erection of a building for the National Society to 
be called the Continental Hall. 

Sec. 4. The Revolutionary Relics Committee shall collect and 
deposit articles of historic interest in the National Museum or the 
Continental Hall. 

Sec. 5. The National University Committee shall promote the 



objects of the Society by advancing the movement for a National 
Universitv. 

Sec. 6. The Smithsonian Report Committee shall prepare the 
annual report of the National Societv. dated October 1 1 , and after 
its approval liy the National Board, forward it in November to 
the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution for transmission to 
the United States Congress. The report of tiiis committee shall 
be read to the Continental Congress for its information. 

Sec. 7. The Magazine Committee shall have the general super- 
vision of the business affairs of the American Monthlv Magazine 
and shall promote its interests. 

Sec. S. The Auditing Committee shall direct the auditing of 
the accounts of the National Society. 

AMENDMENT 15. 
Insert the following : 

Article XIV. 
The Magazine. 

Section i. The American Monthlv Magazine shall be the 
official organ of the National Society. Its contents shall be 
limited to articles on American history prior to 1850; reports 
from Chapters ; articles and notes relating to the National 
Society; reports from the Children of the American Revolution, 
and official matter. 

Sec. 2. The Editor shall procure and edit such articles and 
reports, excepting the official matter which is in charge of the 
Recording Secretary. She shall report to the Continental Con- 
gress annually and to the National Board when so required. 
She shall be elected by the Continental Congress in the same 
manner as National Officers and for the same term. 

Sec. 3. The Business Manager shall have charge of the sub- 
scriptions, advertisements, and other business, under the general 
supervision of the Magazine Committee. She shall be elected 
annually by the National Board, and shall report to it. 

AMENDMENT 16. 
Number present Articles XII and XIII as XV and XVII. 



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AMENDMENT 17. 
Strike out Article XIV and insert the following: 
Article XVI. 
Ii/sigii/'n . 

Section i. The Badge of the National Society shall be in the 
form of a spinning-wheel and distaft"; the wheel being seven- 
eighths of an inch in diameter, of gold with thirteen spokes, a 
field of dark blue enamel on its rim bearing the name of the So- 
ciety in letters of gold ; outside the rim, opposite the ends of the 
spokes, are thirteen small stars ; underneath the wheel is a golden 
distaft" one and a half inches long, filled with platinum flax. 
Upon the back of the wheel the registration number of the owner 
shall be engraved and her name may be added. This badge can 
be purchased only upon presentation of a Badge Permit, to be 
obtained from the Registrar General. 

Sec. 2. The colors of the National Society shall be the colors 
of Washington's stafl", namely, dark blue and white. 

Sec. 3. The Badge may be suspended, on a ribbed and watered 
ribbon of dark blue with white edges, from one or more 
bars. These bars may bear the names of the revolutionary 
ancestors given on the certificate of membership, of the Chapter 
to which the member belongs, or of the office which she holds. 
National Officers and State Regents may suspend the badge from 
the ribbon worn around the neck. 

Sec. 4. A rosette of the National Society colors attached to a 
stick pin mav be worn in place of the badge. 

AMENDMENT 18. 

Strike out Article IV, Sec. 5, and Article XI, and substitute 
the following : 

Article XVIII. 

C/iaptcrs. 

Section i. A Chapter Regent appointed by her State Regent, 
or by the Vice-President General in Charge of Organization of 
Chapters, shall have power to appoint the officers of her Chapter 
to serve during the term for which she is commissioned. 



\ 



II 

Sec. 2. Each Chapter, whether organized under Art. XII, Sec. 
-5, of the By-Laws, or under Art. VII, Sec. i, of the Constitu- 
tion, shall he entitled, on paying the cost thereof, to a Charter 
dulv certifying its name, location, date, officers, and organizing 
members, which shall be signed by the President General, the 
Recording Secretary General, the Vice-President General in 
Charge of Organization of Chapters, attested by the seal of the 
National Society and countersigned by the State Regent. 

Sec. 3. Chapter names must not be duplicated, nor must they 
be named for States, or for persons who belong to a later historical 
period than the one ending in 1S30. 

Sec. 4. Each Chapter may elect its officers at that time of 
year that best suits its convenience, but the delegates and alter- 
nates to the Continental Congress must be elected, annually, be- 
fore the first of February. 

Sec. S- Applications for membership, when properly tilled 
out and endorsed by at least one member of the Society, shall be 
sent to the Chapter Registrar, if the applicant joins through a 
Chapter; and the Chapter Registrar shall transmit to the 
R,egistrar General all applications approved according to Art. Ill, 
Sec. 3, of the Constitution, for final action by the National Board. 
Chapter Registrars shall notify the Registrar General of the 
transfer, resignation or death of any member of the Chapter. 

Sec. 6. If a member enters a Chapter within six months after 
the payment of her dues to the National Society direct, the 
Chapter Treasurer ma}' make formal demand of the Treas- 
urer General for the return of half ^or three-fourths) of her dues. 
When members of Chapters are delinquent in the payment of 
their dues, the Chapters shall be responsible to the National 
Society for the half {or one-fourth) of said dues of each such 
delinquent members, unless prompt notice be sent to the National 
Board of Management. 

Sec. 7. Each Chapter shall notify the \'ice-President General 
in Charge of Organization of Chapters of the election or appoint- 
ment of all officers. 

Sec. S. Each Chapter shall make an annual report to its State 
Regent before January 30. 

Skc. 9. A member resigning from a Chapter must send a writ- 
ten resignation, and the resignation shall take eflect from the date 



12 



of writing. A ineml)er leaving one Cliajjtcr to join another shall 
take with her to the Chapter with which she desires to unite, a 
transfer card, signed by the Regent, Registrar, and Treasurer of 
the Chapter of which slie has been a member, and also a copy of 
her application papers. No member at large shall be ailmitted 
to a Chapter until she has presented duplicate papers and a cer- 
tificate of non-indebtedness from the Treasurer General. 



AMENDMENT 19. 

Strike out Article XV and number the present Article XVI as 
Article XIX. Or strike out Article XVI. on Discipline (pro- 
posed at the last meeting of the Continental Congress by Miss 
Pike). 

AMENDMENT 30. 

Strike out Article XVII and substitute: 

Article XX. 
Amendments. 

Section i. Any National Oihcer, State Regent, or Chapter 
may propose amendments to these By-Laws. 

Sec. 2. Amendments shall be sent to the headquarters of the 
National Society for transmittal to the Committee on Amend- 
ments, at least ninety days before the annual meeting of the 
Continental Congress. Within thirty days after that time (/. e., 
sixty days before the meeting of the Continental Congress) they 
shall be printed and issued to all National Officers. State Regents, 
and Regents and Secretaries of organized Chapters. 

Sec. 3. If adopted by a majority vote at a meeting of the Con- 
tinental Congress, amendments shall take eflcct from the adjourn- 
iiient of the meeting. 



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